Konoha Main Gate.
A biting cold wind whipped through the air.
Kakashi and Might Guy stood side by side at the Konoha Main Gate, the sunlight stretching their shadows long and dark across the ground as they stared intently at the Hokage Rock in the distance.
"Ah, these two are at it again..."
Izumo Kamizuki, who had landed a stable job as a Konoha gate guard ninja at a young age, glanced at the pair by the entrance and shook his head with a helpless smile.
It was clear that the duels between Kakashi and Might Guy had become a well-known story among the ninjas of Konoha.
"Don't say that. I bet five hundred ryo on Kakashi this time."
Kotetsu Hagane, who like Izumo had also become a gate guard ninja early in his career, chimed in with a playful grin.
"In that case, I'll bet on Might Guy."
Overhearing the banter from his two colleagues nearby, Might Guy flashed Kakashi a thumbs-up and declared, "See, Kakashi? Someone's rooting for me!"
"That's enough, you two over there! Do you even know about the Three Ninja Taboos?"
Kakashi pursed his lips and shouted at Izumo and Kotetsu.
"Don't be such a spoilsport, Kakashi."
Might Guy grinned and scooped up a pebble from the ground, tossing it lightly in his hand.
Kakashi had only mentioned it in passing; he certainly didn't take the so-called Three Ninja Taboos to heart.
Right now, the most important thing was his duel with Might Guy.
"Get ready, Kakashi."
"Embrace my passionate youth!"
With those words, Might Guy flicked the pebble high into the air.
Snap~
The instant the pebble hit the ground, Kakashi and Might Guy shot forward like arrows released from a bowstring!
"Oh yeah!"
"My eternal rival!"
"Even after being out of the hospital for less than two months, he's still got that kind of speed!"
"As expected from a genius!"
As the top talents of their generation, Kakashi and Might Guy's abilities needed no further introduction.
The moment they started, wind swirled around Kakashi's body.
The wind, which should have been an obstacle, had become his greatest ally.
Right from the outset of the race, Kakashi pulled ahead of Might Guy.
Normally, Might Guy would have taken the lead in a footrace, thanks to the physical edge he gained from training in the Eight Gates.
But as Kakashi mastered the nature and form transformations of Wind Release, the gap in their speeds was closing fast—visibly so.
Seeing this, Might Guy felt no envy or jealousy, only pure joy and excitement toward Kakashi.
That's right—even without his Sharingan, Kakashi was still Kakashi!
My eternal rival!
Let me show you the true power of Might Guy!
With a swift kick from both feet, Might Guy sent two dark objects flying from his leg guards into the nearby forest.
Those are... Kakashi caught sight of Might Guy's movements, and his eyelid twitched.
The moment the two dark objects hit the forest floor, a massive boom echoed out, kicking up clouds of dust and toppling several large trees!
And in that instant, Might Guy's speed exploded!
Just as I expected!
Might Guy's talent in taijutsu surpasses even Lee's.
What Lee can do is mere child's play for Might Guy!
After shedding his weights, the distance between Kakashi and Might Guy shrank rapidly!
"Yo ho, Kakashi!"
"Witness my Dynamic Entry!"
Might Guy laughed as he closed in, now just one body length behind Kakashi!
Kakashi glanced ahead.
It was a downhill slope.
In that case... Facing Might Guy, Kakashi didn't mind adding a little fun to the game.
The two reached the downhill path almost simultaneously, leaping into the air as their figures soared!
And in that moment, Might Guy was fully immersed in this incredibly passionate, youthful duel with Kakashi.
However... bang!
A frying pan smacked Might Guy square on the forehead.
"Kakashi, when did you prepare that thing?"
Might Guy was quick on his feet; after getting hit, he snatched the frying pan right out of the air.
"I picked it up from some ruins on the way here."
After the frying pan, Kakashi brandished a ladle and a wooden mallet.
The Nine-Tails incident had destroyed plenty of buildings in the village, leaving abandoned ruins nearby, and Kakashi wasn't about to pass up on those items.
"As expected from Kakashi—always thinking ahead!"
Even as Might Guy spoke, the objects in Kakashi's hands flew toward him without hesitation.
Might Guy dodged, catching the "hidden weapons" and flinging them right back at Kakashi.
For a moment, pots, bowls, ladles, and all sorts of household junk crisscrossed between the two!
"Ah, those two are at it again~~"
On a Konoha street, the purple-haired girl with a ponytail, who was out shopping with Yuhi, spotted Kakashi and Might Guy racing toward them from afar and let out an exasperated sigh.
"Anko, don't say that. They bring some real energy to the village."
"I just didn't expect Kakashi to be so lively when he's with Might Guy~"
Yuhi, who had her arm linked with Anko's, glanced at the rapidly approaching duo and couldn't help but grumble.
"What's the big deal? This is the bond between comrades!"
"Yuhi, let's do it too!"
"A duel!"
Anko brushed off Yuhi's words and instead challenged her enthusiastically.
"Absolutely not."
Yuhi stared at the girl in front of her and refused flatly, her expression deadpan.
At that moment, Might Guy and Kakashi leaped right over the two girls, bounding across the surrounding buildings as they sped toward their destination.
"Ahead is your house, Kakashi!"
Might Guy's eyes widened as he spotted the familiar building up ahead, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Yeah, I know."
Kakashi replied, all while keeping up his high-speed dash.
Would Might Guy really see him like this?
Kakashi muttered to himself.
Hatake Household.
The black-haired girl, who had been squatting on the ground feeding a dog, seemed to sense something. She stood up and looked off into the distance.
That's... Kakashi?
Two figures—one in white, one in green—swept past the Hatake Household in a gust of wind, charging ahead without a backward glance.
"Hahaha, Kakashi, I reached your house first!"
Might Guy crowed triumphantly about getting to the Hatake Household ahead.
"Then keep it up—I haven't even used my full power yet!"
In the face of Might Guy's taunt, Kakashi's speed surged again, his body now crackling with streaks of lightning!
"You sly fox, you were still holding back!"
"Watch this—Gate of Life, open!"
With Might Guy's roar, he unleashed the third gate of the Eight Gates!
The gap between them evened out once more!
The black-haired girl watched the rapidly receding figures, who didn't so much as glance back, and couldn't help muttering to herself.
Does Kakashi really have a side like this?
And at that moment, the two had already reached the Hokage Building. With a powerful leap, Kakashi and Might Guy landed simultaneously on the cliff of the Hokage Rock!
————
Supporting me on Pa-treon to gain early access to advanced chapters and enjoy expedited updates. Your support is greatly appreciated.
pat-reon .c-om/Dragonhair
(Just remove the hyphen - and space, to access Pa-treon normally.)